Diary / Planner Quandry

I don't normally write about diaries and such here (well let's face it, I don't normally write about anything here) but there have been a few planner posts recently that have raised a few questions for me.

At the moment I have a large plain Moleskine journal I use for everyday writing.  You know the type, from what I had to breakfast / lunch and what I did, to why I'm feeling particularly good / bad today etc etc.  It includes details of what we've done on holiday and tickets and prints from my beloved Pogo printer to support that (infact together with my day per page logbook this has completely replaced my scrapbooking and it's much more me than rearranging pretty papers that make me feel inadequate and bereft of an artistic gene).

So anyway, from front to back is my journal and from back to front is my planner.

My planner goes like this:-

- Weekly schedule / timetable
- Year to view (Oct 2011 - Sept 2012)
- April 2011 Month to view
- May 2011 Month to view
- June 2011 Month to view
- July 2011 Month to view
- August 2011 Month to view
- September 2011 Month to view
- Blank
- School Holidays - Easter 2011, week per page
- School Holidays - Spring Bank 2011, week per page
- School Holiday - Summer 2011, week per page

Generally my days are not overly planned, especially when I'm not working.  I tend to just potter about and do bits and bats here and there.  I HATE housework and do the bare minimum and I REALLY need to do more, plus I'm hoping to be working more hours once LJ starts school in September (Eeeek!  My baby starts school in Septemeber) so I need to get more organised.  I need to write everything down, not just the ununsual stuff but the everyday / week / month stuff.

I've been looking at new planners for the upcoming academic year but just cannot settle on one, then I read Laurie's post on The Woman's Success Planner (WSP), closely followed by Rori's posts on the same.  These have got me itching to try it out.  Unfortuately they don't appear to ship to the UK so now I'm tempted to dig out an unused Moleskine and create my own, using ideas from the Woman's Success Planner and adding a few of my own.

So here's where I'm hoping someone is actually reading this blog because I'm after some help / suggestions as to what to include.

So far I have:-
- 2pg Year to view with annual tasks and events listed (birthdays, pet vaccinatons, insurance etc)
- 1pg Monthly tasks and ongoing tasks (thank you WSP)
- 1pg Notes
- 2pg Month to view
- 1pg Weekly tasks and ongoing tasks (I don't think I'd use the meal planner and shopping list the WSP has, the family calendar and notepad on the fridge do this very well for me)
- 1pg Notes
- 2pg Week to view (columns) with the very useful daily tasks circles, tasks area & health tracker ala WSP
- 1pg Week in Review and expenses
- 1pg Notes
- 2pg (where required) School Holiday plans - Activity ideas separated according to free / paid / indoor / outdoor,

Rinse and repeat as required.  I estimate that I will fit about 6 months into 1 large squared Moleskine.  Together with my Quiver pen holder I think that it should be more than enough.

At the back of the journal I will have the next 12 months on a double page spread (or possibly 1 month per page) for forward planning.

I would like to note here that I'm not trying to 'rip off' WSP and would gladly buy their product if it was available to me.

All input feedback gladly received.  Thank you for reading this far.

Normal service will resume shortly, I have been sewing :-)

I'm a Winner

I used to do loads of online and postcard competitions and in the past I have won a few bits and bobs. A file folder thingy for sorting your bills, some childrens toys that sort of thing. But I haven't done any for ages.

So imagine my suprise when I got an e-mail from Simply Moleskine to say I'd won the monthly prize draw. Yay. So I get to choose an item from their website that I'd like as my prize. Now as the name implies the website is an online retailer for Moleskine notebooks. Not exactly the most exciting prize I hear you cry. But I like notebooks, and pens and paper and stuff so I'm a happy bunny.

Just thought you'd like to know that.